Semiconductor memory device

ABSTRACT

Disclosed herein is a semiconductor memory device for reducing a current consumption used for operating a write command or a read command. The semiconductor memory device includes a global data latch unit for latching a global data loaded on a global data line in response to a first write enable signal to thereby generate a global latch data; a local data write driving unit for receiving the global latch data to output a local data to a local data line in response to a second write enable signal; and a write driver control unit for generating the first write enable signal and the second write enable signal to inactivate the first write enable signal when a write operation is not performed.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a semiconductor memory device; and,more particularly, to a semiconductor memory device for reducing acurrent consumption used for performing an operation based on a writecommand or a read command.

DESCRIPTION OF RELATED ARTS

Recently, a semiconductor memory device has about four banks, each forindependently performing a write operation and a read operation.

To perform the write operation and the read operation, each bankincludes a row decider for decoding a row address, a column decider fordecoding a column address, and a control circuit unit for controllingthe read operation and the write operation of the bank.

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a conventional semiconductor memorydevice. More particularly, FIG. 1 shows a circuit block provided with abank to perform a write operation.

As shown, the semiconductor memory device includes a write drivercontrol unit 10, a global data latch unit 20 and a local data writedriving unit 30.

The write driver control unit 10 receives a write control signal BWENand a driver select signal BAYBD to thereby generate a first writeenable signal BWEN1 and a second write enable signal BWEN2. Herein, thewrite control signal BWEN having a pulse shape drives a selected writedriver in each bank. The driver select signal BAYBD enables the selectedwrite driver in an X4 mode or an X8 mode. Herein, the X4 mode or the X8mode indicates a number of data inputted or outputted once for a writeoperation or a read operation when the semiconductor memory deviceoperates. Namely, the X8 mode means that eight data are inputted oroutputted once for a write operation or a read operation. Hence, in theX8 mode, the semiconductor memory device enables eight write driversselected from a plurality of write drivers in the bank to perform thewrite operation or the read operation.

The global data latch unit 20 receives the first write enable signalBWEN1, a global data GIO and a data mask signal WDM to generate a firstglobal latch data GIO_LAT and a second global latch data GIO_LATB. Indetail, the global data latch unit 20 latches the global data GIO on aglobal data line in response to the first write enable signal BWEN1. Ifthe data mask signal WDM is activated, the global data latch unit 20stops latching so as not to maintain the global data GIO.

The local data write driving unit 30 receives a local reset signalLIO_RST, the first global latch data GIO_LAT and the second global latchdata GIO_LATB outputted from the global data latch unit 20 to generate afirst local data LAY and a second local data LAYB to a local data line.In detail, the local data write driving unit 30 latches the first globallatch data GIO_LAT and the second global latch data GIO_LATB in responseto the second write enable signal BWEN2. Herein, the local reset signalLIO_RST is for a reset operation by making a potential of the firstlocal data LAY on the local data line be equalized the second local dataLAYB in case that the local data are not saved.

FIG. 2 is a detailed circuit diagram describing the conventionalsemiconductor memory device of FIG. 1.

As shown, first, the write driver control unit 10 includes a NAND gateND1 and a first inverter I1.

The NAND gate ND1 receives the write control signal BWEN and the driverselect signal BAYBD to perform a NAND operation. As a result, The NANDgate ND1 generates the first write enable signal BWEN1. The firstinverter I1 inverts the first write enable signal BWEN1 in order togenerate the second write enable signal BWEN2.

The global data latch unit 20 includes a second inverter I2, a thirdinverter I3, a first latch unit 21 and a second latch unit 22.

The second inverter I2 inverts the global data GIO to thereby generatean inverted global data GIOB and the third inverter I3 inverts the datamask signal WDM for generating an inverted data mask signal WDMB.

The first latch unit 21 includes a first PMOS transistor MP1, a secondPMOS transistor MP2, a first NMOS transistor MN1, a second NMOStransistor MN2, a third NMOS transistor MN3 and a first bufferconstituting a fourth inverter I4 and a fifth inverter I5. The firstlatch unit 21 receives the inverted global data GIOB and outputs thesecond global latch data GIO_LATB in response to the first write enablesignal BWEN1.

The second latch unit 22 includes a third PMOS transistor MP3, a fourthPMOS transistor MP4, a fourth NMOS transistor MN4, a fifth NMOStransistor MN5, a sixth NMOS transistor MN6 and a second bufferconstituting a sixth inverter I6 and a seventh inverter I7. The secondlatch unit 22 receives the global data GIO and outputs the first globallatch data GIO_LAT in response to the first write enable signal BWEN1.

In the global data latch unit 20, if the data mask signal WDM isactivated, the global data latch unit 20 stops a latching operation soas not to maintain the global data GIO.

The local data write driving unit 30 includes an eighth inverter I8, afirst output unit 31, a second output unit 32 and a precharge unit 33.

The eighth inverter I8 inverts the local reset signal LIO_RST in orderto generate an inverted local reset signal LIO_RSTB.

The first output unit 31 includes a fifth PMOS transistor MP5, a sixthPMOS transistor MP6, a seventh NMOS transistor MN7, a eighth NMOStransistor MN8, a ninth NMOS transistor MN9, a third buffer having aninth inverter I9 and a tenth inverter I10, and a eleventh inverter I11.Hence, the first output unit 31 performs a latching operation forkeeping the second global latch data GIO_LATB in response to the secondwrite enable signal BWEN2.

The second output unit 32 includes a seventh PMOS transistor MP7, aeighth PMOS transistor MP8, a tenth NMOS transistor MN10, a eleventhNMOS transistor MN11, a twelfth NMOS transistor MN12, a fourth bufferconstituting a twelfth inverter I12 and a thirteenth inverter I13, and afourteenth inverter I14. Hence, the second output unit 32 performslatching the first global latch data GIO_LAT in response to the secondwrite enable signal BWEN2.

The precharge unit 33 includes a ninth PMOS transistor MP9, a tenth PMOStransistor MP10 and an eleventh PMOS transistor MP11.

FIG. 3 is a timing diagram illustrating an operation of the conventionalsemiconductor memory device of FIGS. 1 and 2.

Hereinafter, referring to FIGS. 1 to 3, an operation of the conventionalsemiconductor memory device will be explained in detail.

First, the driver select signal BAYBD having a logic level ‘HIGH’ isinputted to enable the selected write driver of the bank in the X4 modeor the X8 mode. The write control signal BWEN having a logic level‘HIGH’ is inputted to enable the bank for performing the writeoperation.

Continuously, based on the driver select signal BAYBD and the writecontrol signal BWEN, the write driver control unit 10 generates thefirst write enable signal BWEN1 having a logic level ‘LOW’ and thesecond write enable signal BWEN2 having a logic level ‘HIGH’ byinverting the first write enable signal BWEN1.

Except for a period when the first write enable signal BWEN1 is thelogic level ‘LOW’, the global data latch unit 20 maintains an enablestate so as to latch the global data GIO on the global data line.Accordingly, as shown in FIG. 3, the global data latch unit 20 can latchthe global data GIO in response to the first write enable signal BWEN1generated from the write control signal BWEN. As a result, the firstglobal latch data GIO_LAT and the second global latch data GIO_LAT2 areoutputted.

The local data write driving unit 30 latches the first global latch dataGIO_LAT and the second global latch data GIO_LATB outputted from theglobal data latch unit 20 in response to the second write enable signalBWEN2. As a result, the first local data LAY and the second local dataLAYB are outputted to the local data line and then saved at apredetermined unit cell through a bitline sense amplifier.

In the mean time, the semiconductor memory device partially shares theglobal data line on which the global data GIO is transferred accordingto the read command or the write command. However, as described above,in case that the global data latch unit 20 maintains the enable stateexcept for the period when the first write enable signal BWEN1 is thelogic level ‘LOW’, the global data GIO on the global data line islatched in response to the read command after the write command. As aresult, a problem that the global data GIO latched by the read commandis transferred to the local data write driving unit 30 has been arisen.

Namely, as shown in FIG. 3, a ‘Read Data 1’ and a ‘Read Data 2’ on theglobal data line should be outputted to external according to the readcommand. However, because the global data latch unit 20 is in the enablestate (see ‘A’), the global data latch unit 20 latches the ‘Read Data 1’and the ‘Read Data 2’ so that the ‘Read Data 1’ and the ‘Read Data 2’are transferred to the local data write driving unit 30 (see ‘B’).

Accordingly, an unnecessary current is consumed because the read data onthe global data line is latched for a read operation. Moreover, since alarge number of global data latch units are provided with the bank, muchmore current consumption is occurred.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

It is, therefore, an object of the present invention to provide asemiconductor memory device for reducing a current consumption during anoperation in response to a write command or a read command by removingan unnecessary operation for latching a global data on a global dataline according to the read command.

In accordance with an aspect of the present invention, there is provideda semiconductor memory device including a global data latch unit forlatching a global data loaded on a global data line in response to afirst write enable signal to thereby generate a global latch data; alocal data write driving unit for receiving the global latch data tooutput a local data to a local data line in response to a second writeenable signal; and a write driver control unit for generating the firstwrite enable signal and the second write enable signal to inactivate thefirst write enable signal when a write operation is not performed.

In accordance with another aspect of the present invention, there isprovided a method for reducing a current consumption of thesemiconductor memory device, comprising the steps of: generating a firstwrite enable signal and a second write enable signal; latching a globaldata loaded on a global data line in response to the first write enablesignal to generate a global latch data; and outputting a local data to alocal data line based on the global latch data in response to the secondwrite enable signal, wherein the first write enable signal isinactivated when a write operation is not performed. In accordance withfurther another aspect of the present invention, there is provided amethod for reducing a current consumption of the semiconductor memorydevice, comprising the steps of: generating a first write enable signal,a second write enable signal and a final data mask signal; latching aglobal data loaded on a global data line in response to the first writeenable signal and the data mask signal to generate a global latch data;and outputting a local data to a local data line based on the globallatch data in response to the second write enable signal, wherein theglobal data is not latched when the final data mask signal is activated.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The above and other objects and features of the present invention willbecome better understood with respect to the following description ofthe specific embodiments given in conjunction with the accompanyingdrawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a conventional semiconductor memorydevice;

FIG. 2 is a detailed circuit diagram describing the conventionalsemiconductor memory device of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a timing diagram illustrating an operation of the conventionalsemiconductor memory device of FIGS. 1 and 2;

FIG. 4 is a block diagram depicting a semiconductor memory device inaccordance with an embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 5 is a circuit diagram showing a write driver control unit of thesemiconductor memory device in FIG. 4;

FIG. 6 is a timing diagram illustrating an operation of thesemiconductor memory device of FIGS. 4 and 5;

FIG. 7 is a block diagram describing a semiconductor memory device inaccordance with another embodiment of the present invention; and

FIG. 8 is a circuit diagram showing a write driver control unit of thesemiconductor memory device in FIG. 7;

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Hereinafter, a semiconductor memory device in accordance with thepresent invention will be described in detail referring to theaccompanying drawings.

FIG. 4 is a block diagram depicting a semiconductor memory device inaccordance with an embodiment of the present invention.

As shown, the semiconductor memory device includes a write drivercontrol unit 200, a global data latch unit 300 and a local data writedriving unit 400.

The global data latch unit 300 latches a global data GIO loaded on aglobal data line in response to a first write enable signal BWEN1 andoutputs a first global latch data GIO_LAT and a second global latch dataGIO_LATB.

The local data write driving unit 400 receives the first global latchdata GIO_LAT and the second global latch data GIP_LATB, which areoutputted from the global data latch unit 300, and outputs a first localdata LAY and a second local data LAYB to a local data line in responseto a second write enable signal BWEN2.

The write driver control unit 200 receives a write control signal BWEN,a driver select signal BAYBD, a bank flag signal BANK_FLAG and a writeflag signal WR_FLAG to generate the first write enable signal BWEN1 andthe second write enable signal BWEN2 so as not to activate the firstwrite enable signal BWEN1 during a write command is not inputted.

FIG. 5 is a circuit diagram showing a write driver control unit 200 ofthe semiconductor memory device in FIG. 4.

As shown, the write driver control unit 200 includes an intermediateenable signal output unit 210, a first write enable signal output unit220 and a second write enable signal output unit 230.

The intermediate enable signal output unit 210 combines the bank flagsignal BANK_FLAG, the write flag signal WR_FLAG and the driver selectsignal BAYBD and outputs an intermediate enable signal EN. The bank flagsignal BANK_FLAG enables a bank which performs the write operation. Thewrite flag signal WR_FLAG is activated if the write command is inputted.The driver select signal BAYBD enables write drivers selected accordingto an X4 mode or an X8 mode. Herein, the X4 mode or the X8 mode is anumber of data inputted or outputted once for the write operation or aread operation during the semiconductor memory device operates. Inaccordance with the embodiment of the present invention, theintermediate enable signal output unit 210 includes a first NAND gateIND1 which receives the bank flag signal BANK_FLAG, the write flagsignal WR_FLAG and the driver select signal BAYBD to thereby output theintermediate enable signal EN.

The first write enable signal output unit 220 receives the intermediateenable signal EN outputted from the intermediate enable signal outputunit 210 and the write control signal BWEN to generate the first writeenable signal BWEN1. Also, in accordance with the embodiment of thepresent invention, the first write enable signal output unit 220includes a NOR gate INOR1 which receives the intermediate enable signalEN and the write control signal BWEN to thereby output the first writeenable signal BWEN1.

The second write enable signal output unit 230 generates the secondwrite enable signal second write enable signal BWEN2 based on the driverselect signal BAYBD and the write control signal BWEN. In accordancewith the embodiment of the present invention, the second write enablesignal output unit 230 includes a second NAND gate IND2 and an inverterIIV1. The second NAND gate IND2 performs a NAND operation based on thedriver select signal BAYBD and the write control signal BWEN. Theinverter IIV1 inverts an output of the second NAND gate IND2 to outputthe inverse signal as the second write enable signal BWEN2.

FIG. 6 is a timing diagram illustrating an operation of thesemiconductor memory device of FIGS. 4 and 5.

Hereinafter, referring to FIGS. 4 to 6, an operation of thesemiconductor memory device will be explained in detail.

First, the intermediate enable signal output unit 210 of the writedriver control unit 200 combines the bank flag signal BANK_FLAG, thewrite flag signal WR_FLAG and the driver select signal BAYBD. Then, theintermediate enable signal output unit 210 outputs the intermediateenable signal EN activated with a logic level ‘LOW’ when the bank flagsignal BANK_FLAG, the write flag signal WR_FLAG and the driver selectsignal BAYBD are activated with a logic level ‘HIGH’. Herein, the bankflag signal BANK_FLAG indicates which bank performs the write operationamong the numbers of banks. The write flag signal WR_FLAG indicateswhether the writer command is inputted or the read command is inputted.If the writer command is inputted, the write flag signal WR_FLAG isactivated. Also, the driver select signal BAYBD is for designating thewrite driver among plural write drivers provided with the bank accordingto the X4 mode or the X8 mode.

As shown in FIG. 5, only when the bank flag signal BANK_FLAG, the writeflag signal WR_FLAG and the driver select signal BAYBD are activatedwith the logic level ‘HIGH’, the intermediate enable signal EN isactivated with the logic level ‘LOW’. It means that the selected writedriver of bank is substantially used for the write operation.

If the intermediate enable signal EN is activated, the first writeenable signal output unit 220 of the write driver control unit 200generates the first write enable signal BWEN1 by inverting the writecontrol signal BWEN. According to the first write enable signal BWEN1,the global data latch unit 300 latches the global data GIO.

Also, the second write enable signal output unit 230 of the write drivercontrol unit 200 generates the second write enable signal BWEN2 inresponse to the write control signal BWEN and the driver select signalBAYBD.

Accordingly, as shown in FIG. 6, the first write enable signal BWEN1 isactivated only for a predetermined time of latching the global data GIOwithin a section which the write operation is performed. After thepredetermined time, the first write enable signal BWEN1 maintains aninactivated state (see ‘C’).

Namely, during the read operation, the first write enable signal BWEN1is inactivated so that a ‘Read Data 1’ or a ‘Read Data 2’ on the globaldata line are not latched by the global data latch unit 300.

As a result, the first global latch data GIO_LAT and the second globallatch data GIO_LATB are not transferred to the local data write drivingunit 400 because the global data latch unit 300 does not operate for asection when the write operation is not performed. Accordingly, thelocal data write driving unit 400 does not perform the unnecessary readoperation (see ‘D’).

FIG. 7 is a block diagram describing a semiconductor memory device inaccordance with another embodiment of the present invention.

As shown, similar to FIG. 4, the semiconductor memory device includes awrite driver control unit 500, a global data latch unit 600 and a localdata write driving unit 700.

In accordance with another embodiment of the present invention, thewrite driver control unit 500 of the semiconductor memory devicereceives a write control signal BWEN, a driver select signal BAYBD, abank flag signal BANK_FLAG, a write flag signal WR_FLAG and a first datamask signal WDM1. Consequently, the write driver control unit 500generates a second first data mask signal WDM2 as well as a first writeenable signal BWEN1 and a second write enable signal BWEN2. Herein, thefirst data mask signal WDM1 can stop a write operation during thesemiconductor memory device performs the write operation based on awrite command.

FIG. 8 is a circuit diagram showing a write driver control unit of thesemiconductor memory device in FIG. 7.

As shown, the write driver control unit 500 includes an intermediateenable signal output unit 510, a data mask signal output unit 520 and awrite enable signal output unit 530.

The intermediate enable signal output unit 510 combines the bank flagsignal BANK_FLAG, the write flag signal WR_FLAG and the driver selectsignal BAYBD to thereby generate an intermediate enable signal EN.Herein, the bank flag signal BANK_FLAG enables a bank which performs thewrite operation, the write flag signal WR_FLAG is activated if the writecommand is inputted and the driver select signal BAYBD activates a writedriver selected according to an X8 mode or an X4 mode.

The data mask signal output unit 520 combines the intermediate enablesignal EN outputted from the intermediate enable signal output unit 510and the first data mask signal WDM1 to generate the second data masksignal WDM2 in order to stop the write operation.

The write enable signal output unit 530 combines the driver selectsignal BAYBD and the write control signal write control signal BWEN togenerate a first write enable signal BWEN1 and a second write enablesignal BWEN2.

The intermediate enable signal output unit 510 can include a third NANDgate IND3 which receives the bank flag signal BANK_FLAG, the write flagsignal WR_FLAG and the driver select signal BAYBD to generate theintermediate enable signal EN.

The data mask signal output unit 520 can include a second NOR gate INOR2which receives the intermediate enable signal EN and the first data masksignal WDM1 to generate the second data mask signal WDM2.

The write enable signal output unit 530 can include a fourth NAND gateIND4 and a second inverter IIV2. The fourth NAND gate IND4 receives thedriver select signal BAYBD and the write control signal BWEN to output aresult of the NAND operation as the first write enable signal BWEN1. Thesecond inverter IIV2 inverts an output of the fourth NAND gate IND4 tooutput the second write enable signal BWEN2.

Referring to FIGS. 7 to 8, the global data latch unit 600 of thesemiconductor memory device receives the second data mask signal WDM2from the write driver control unit 500 so as to stop a latchingoperation when the second data mask signal WDM2 is activated.

Accordingly, a first global latch data GIO_LAT and a second global latchdata GIO_LATB outputted from the global data latch unit 600 are nottransferred to the local data write driving unit 700. Therefore, thelocal data write driving unit 700 does not need to perform theunnecessary read operation.

As above described, in the semiconductor memory device of the presentinvention, the global data latch unit does not operate for the sectionwhen the write operation is not performed so that there is not anyunnecessary operation latching global data on the global data lineaccording to the read command. Consequently, it is possible to reduce acurrent consumption used for performing an operation based on the writecommand or the read command.

In order words, during the read operation, it is possible to prevent aplurality of the global data latch units provided with each bank fromoperating unnecessarily. Also, during the global data latch unitprovided with one bank latches the global data, the global data latchunits provided with the order banks do not operate.

Moreover, numbers of the global data latch units used in the X4 or theX8 mode are ¼ or ½ less than numbers of the global data latch units usedin the X16 mode. In this case, it is possible to reduce a currentconsumption by the global data latch unit.

The present application contains subject matter related to the Koreanpatent application No. KR 2005-58716, filed in the Korean Patent Officeon Jun. 30, 2005, the entire contents of which being incorporated hereinby reference.

While the present invention has been described with respect to certainspecific embodiments, it will be apparent to those skilled in the artthat various changes and modifications may be made without departingfrom the spirit and scope of the invention as defined in the followingclaims.

1-14. (canceled)
 15. A method for reducing a current consumption of thesemiconductor memory device, comprising the steps of: generating a firstwrite enable signal, a second write enable signal and a final data masksignal; latching a global data loaded on a global data line in responseto the first write enable signal and the data mask signal to generate aglobal latch data; and outputting a local data to a local data linebased on the global latch data in response to the second write enablesignal, wherein the global data is not latched when the final data masksignal is activated.
 16. The method as recited in claim 15, wherein thestep of generating the final data mask signal includes the step of:generating an intermediate enable signal by combining a bank flag signalto enable a bank for performing a write operation, a write flag signalactivated if the write command is inputted, and a driver select signalto activate a selected write driver; and outputting the final data masksignal by combining the intermediate enable signal and an initial datamask signal for stopping the write operation.
 17. The method as recitedin claim 16, wherein the intermediate enable signal is generated by aNAND operation of the bank flag signal, the write flag signal and thedriver select signal.
 18. The method as recited in claim 18, wherein thefinal data mask signal is generated by a NOR operation of theintermediate enable signal and the initial data mask signal.
 19. Themethod as recited in claim 18, wherein the first write enable signal isgenerated by a NAND operation of a write control signal and the driverselect signal.
 20. The method as recited in claim 19, wherein the secondwrite enable signal is generated by an AND operation of the writecontrol signal and the driver select signal.